The Honest Farang

If you have such an endearment towards India and it’s people, then why don’t you go live there? 

 It would be best to do it yourself and get there the day/evening before. 

 Arriving at Udon Thani around mid-day should ensure an easy ride up to Nongkhai. Cost should be no more than 300 BHT for a van to the border. You'll have to walk up to the border crossing and once there fill out the entry visa application. 

 I recall the Lao entry visa fee costing more than $35 USD. Perhaps the Lao government has reduced the cost out of the kindness of their hearts? Be sure you have the exact amount in USD because they will not give you change. (e.g. If the cost is $35 and you give them a $40 you will not get any change.) I'm not sure if they provide change if the fee is paid in Baht. 

 There are buses and taxis which will take you to Vientiane, on the other side of the border crossing. Not sure what part of town the bus will drop you off in. You could get a Lao SIM card at the border to have some GPS help from your phone. 

 Lots of places to stay in the Chao Anouvong Park area which is only a km or two from the consulate where you will apply for your visa. Look on a map and you should be able to find a place to your budget/liking. 

 The Chao Anouvong Park area is probably best as there is a night market, plenty of cafes/restaurants and NOW a  modern convenience store or two. Just about everything closes up by midnight. Most places earlier than that. There are a few bars and restaurants which will be open a bit later in case you need a drink or something to eat.

 Wake up early the next morning and try to get to the consulate at least an hour before they begin allowing people to enter. The cyclos/tuk tuks will try to overcharge you, so, check with staff at the place where you are staying to get an idea of the current rate. I recall the drivers asking for 25,000 Kip for a one-way ride which is way too much. I paid them 15,000 Kip (which is still too much) but better than 25. When I told the girl working at the front desk of the hotel I was staying in how much they were charging she laughed and said they were ripping me off. Nevertheless, that is about the rate you will be charged unless you rent a bike (bad idea) or walk. 

 Be sure to go to the consulate on Soi Rue Bourichane near Cafe Nomad and The Pizza Company. 

 Even if you arrive an hour before the consulate opens there will still be people waiting outside. 16 pictures is an abnormal amount. Sounds like way too many. Be sure you have copies of the required documents, photocopied pages of your passport and that the photos you provide of are the correct size and have a white background.

 There is a place upstairs to make copies and have photos taken at the consulate. Be sure to have coins for any sudden photo copies they might request. 

 Once the doors open, get inside and get a number as fast as you can in order to save yourself time. As long as your paperwork is in order, you should be out of there by lunchtime; however, you will have to come back the next day to pick up your passport which will hopefully contain your new student visa. 

 After leaving the consulate, there will be tuk tuks offering you a ride back. They will bargain with you on the price but will not leave immediately as they want to fill up the vehicle before departure. Keep this in mind when setting a price with the driver. 

 You could just walk over to the Patuxay Monument afterwards, take a few photos and then head back to the riverside to relax at a cafe before the night market begins to bustle. 

 So, you're looking at spending two nights in Vientiane. Get there on Monday evening, apply for visa on Tuesday morning, pick up passport on Wednesday morning (maybe afternoon) and back in Happyland by nightfall.

Their reason is that I am not taking enough courses to maintain a visa through the school.

I did not simply enroll, get a visa and then disappear. I had planned on finishing the program and earning the degree but there is no point in that if they cannot/will not provide a visa which would allow me to stay in country and finish the course work.

 The university I have been attending has informed me that they will be notifying immigration around the end of this month (Nov. 2016) to cancel my ED visa.

 I entered the country in February 2016 on a tourist visa and had it changed over into an ED visa at Chaengwatthana.

 The stamp says the visa is valid until June 2017. My next 90 report is in December.

 Is it really possible for them to contact immigration and have it canceled? If so, how much time would I have to exit the country until I would be considered as overstaying? Up until the time of my next 90  day report? Or, 7 days after it is officially canceled by immigration?

 Could I just go in and out of the country every 90 days and keep it active until June 2017?